Why you should care

Because print may not be dead after all.

By Lucy Blackwell

The Daily DoseOCT 12 2013

There’s no shortage of reading material out there these days. In fact, we’re so spoiled with choices that in the flurry of options, we seem to have forgotten one crucial ingredient: Surprise. How do you find the unexpected? The stories that you didn’t even know you wanted to read? From a friend’s Facebook post or Twitter feed, of course, maybe an overheard conversation at the cafe … or maybe a piece of real mail – meaning, you know, something you pull out of an old-fashioned mailbox, every month.

Take Wrap, a multipurpose magazine bursting at the seams with stunning illustrations and designs, ready to be pulled out and, you guessed it, wrapped up as a gift! Or consider Boat, a glossy vessel for traveling to a new city every month, which is exactly what the magazine’s editorial team does — to deliver a fresh perspective combined with local knowledge. As the editors point out, “Sarajevo is a young, vibrant, creative city — not just a war-torn one.” Restaurant reviews? Not so much.

Postbox Surprise - Boat magazine

Ever heard of The Ride Journal? How about Oh Comely? Or Boat, which has nothing to do with boats, by the way. These are just some of the recent selections offered to subscribers of a new service called Stack, which curates and distributes beautifully handmade, alternative and independent print magazines from around the world. No “Likes” or disgruntled online commenters — just page after page of pretty cool stuff.

Stack delivers a deftly curated selection of magazines that provide an intelligent, alternative view on the world and a breath of fresh air to mainstream media. In fact, these magazines are rarely commercially oriented. (Ad free!?) Quite simply, they are true labors of love. Small runs with new ideas. Precious, tangible gems in a fast-paced, high-tech world that never gets tired of ranting, “Print is dead.” Not if Stack has anything to say about it.

Here are two more examples:

Oh Comely

Oh Comely is devoted to unique artists, music and outsiders. Where else can you find a publication whose mission is to “get people to talk to their neighbors”?

The Ride

The Ride is packed tight with stories. Discover real riders like “the lonely man” and the “hopelessly devoted,” injected with adrenaline-fueled visuals that exemplify what it feels like to love two pedals as much as you love the road.

Interested? Get a subscription at Stack. Twelve issues cost around $120.